New ‘Cue in a Familiar Spot

By J. Scott Wilson

Published: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 at 05:46 PM.

Change is a constant in the restaurant business. Sometimes it can be a great thing, like the regional menus at Round Bistro or the daily vegetarian concoctions at Sprouts Café. Sometimes it can be horrible, like when the advent of factory-produced chain Italian food leads to the demise of a local institution (not that I’m naming names). And sometimes it’s more of a mixed bag.

That, for me, is the case with Catawba Ave. BBQ and Grill at 403 E. Catawba Ave., Belmont. This location was formerly Ranucci’s, and over the time it was in business I grew to really like Alex Ranucci and his propensity for pushing the envelope of barbecue creativity and his never-ending quest to come up with a wing sauce that was too hot even for me to consume. He’s moved on to bigger things, though, having just won the Grand Champion award at the Q City Charlotte Barbecue Championship, and now his former haunt is in the capable hands of Kathleen Hover, of Center Street Tavern fame.

The menu will look very familiar to fans of the old place, and indeed to fans of any barbecue joint. There are certain mandatory things such as pulled pork (in sandwich and plate form), chicken, ribs, sausage and even occasionally brisket that have to be on offer in order for a ‘cue place to maintain credibility.

For me, smoked chicken is normally one of those things I’ll eat if it’s offered to me, but it’s not something I’d ever go out of my way to order. The meat is too often dry as toast, and even a slight over-smoking can leave you thinking you’ve got a mouth full of smoking chips. The bird at Catawba Ave. was really remarkable, though. It was as tender and succulent as fried chicken, with a balanced smokiness and a nice spice hit from the rub. I didn’t need to use any sauce on mine, but just for thoroughness I did so and found the original house sauce the best.

The smoked sausage is now more of a bratwurst-style affair, with the familiar white casing showing the caramelization of careful grilling. It was tasty with the spicy sauce, although an uncommon choice for a barbecue place. If you’re a fan of brats (and who isn’t, especially during football season?) you’ll enjoy it.

I enjoyed the pulled pork, the bread and butter of any Carolina barbecue restaurant. It had a good smoke ring and was very tender. The rub needed a bit more presence among the flavor notes, but a slightly larger dose of vinegar-based sauce fixed that issue pretty well. When it comes to the question of sauce, I’m squarely in the vinegar camp, and the sauce at Catawba Ave. is excellent.

The sandwiches are truly something to write home about, with tasty pork products, cheese and sauce in a tremendous panoply of combinations. The South Point Smokestack, with pulled pork and smoked sausage topped with pepper jack cheese, is a testament to both flavor and the ability of statins to keep my cholesterol level within tolerances.

Change is a constant in the restaurant business. Sometimes it can be a great thing, like the regional menus at Round Bistro or the daily vegetarian concoctions at Sprouts Café. Sometimes it can be horrible, like when the advent of factory-produced chain Italian food leads to the demise of a local institution (not that I’m naming names). And sometimes it’s more of a mixed bag.

That, for me, is the case with Catawba Ave. BBQ and Grill at 403 E. Catawba Ave., Belmont. This location was formerly Ranucci’s, and over the time it was in business I grew to really like Alex Ranucci and his propensity for pushing the envelope of barbecue creativity and his never-ending quest to come up with a wing sauce that was too hot even for me to consume. He’s moved on to bigger things, though, having just won the Grand Champion award at the Q City Charlotte Barbecue Championship, and now his former haunt is in the capable hands of Kathleen Hover, of Center Street Tavern fame.

The menu will look very familiar to fans of the old place, and indeed to fans of any barbecue joint. There are certain mandatory things such as pulled pork (in sandwich and plate form), chicken, ribs, sausage and even occasionally brisket that have to be on offer in order for a ‘cue place to maintain credibility.

For me, smoked chicken is normally one of those things I’ll eat if it’s offered to me, but it’s not something I’d ever go out of my way to order. The meat is too often dry as toast, and even a slight over-smoking can leave you thinking you’ve got a mouth full of smoking chips. The bird at Catawba Ave. was really remarkable, though. It was as tender and succulent as fried chicken, with a balanced smokiness and a nice spice hit from the rub. I didn’t need to use any sauce on mine, but just for thoroughness I did so and found the original house sauce the best.

The smoked sausage is now more of a bratwurst-style affair, with the familiar white casing showing the caramelization of careful grilling. It was tasty with the spicy sauce, although an uncommon choice for a barbecue place. If you’re a fan of brats (and who isn’t, especially during football season?) you’ll enjoy it.

I enjoyed the pulled pork, the bread and butter of any Carolina barbecue restaurant. It had a good smoke ring and was very tender. The rub needed a bit more presence among the flavor notes, but a slightly larger dose of vinegar-based sauce fixed that issue pretty well. When it comes to the question of sauce, I’m squarely in the vinegar camp, and the sauce at Catawba Ave. is excellent.

The sandwiches are truly something to write home about, with tasty pork products, cheese and sauce in a tremendous panoply of combinations. The South Point Smokestack, with pulled pork and smoked sausage topped with pepper jack cheese, is a testament to both flavor and the ability of statins to keep my cholesterol level within tolerances.

The sides are worth a mention of their own. The slaw is tangy and tops the pulled pork sandwich well, and the Brunswick stew is thick and rich and could stand as a meal by itself. Even the fries, while not freshly cut, are crispy and taste great dosed with a little house sauce. In short, don’t be afraid of change. Give Catawba Ave. BBQ and Grill a shot and you’re quite possibly going to find a new favorite Belmont spot.

J. Scott Wilson writes about food and restaurants for The Gazette. Look for his next column soon.